Holiday shopping at The Flemish House

Mae Charm Designs artist Sara Gerber






I had a book signing last evening that went exeptionally well!
Here you see the author, Dennis McGeehan, and Johnsonburgian Cindy Elmquist.

The new window dressing along with offerings from Little Mill Creek and the fab photography of Bill Warmbrodt.

I have more new artists in the gallery and will show pics later in the week...stay tuned ;)

Upcoming at the Gallery

News from the Gallery:

• new artists with their lovely items such as pottery, felt Christmas trees, mirrors & chalkboards, cards, photography, jewelry, etc. etc.
• book signing on the 22nd at 4pm with Dennis McGeehan(look below)
• Community Christmas 4-8 on the 22nd in Johnsonburg and The Johnsonburg Community Center
• taking orders for custom pieces such as Mom pendants
• don't forget, I also have a nice inventory of beading supplies including semi-precious stones
• new map will be available by the holidays of local artisan shops and studios including food artisans
• two shops in Ridgway also carry 'me' ECCOTA and The Shop on Main

November 22nd, 4pm
The Flemish House Art Gallery presents
Author Dennis McGeehan
signing his newest book 'Johnsonburg'
600 Market Street
Johnsonburg, Pa. 15845

http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9780738565644
This wonderful book includes 228 photos of our town!!!

Book Description:

Johnsonburg, the “Paper City,” is situated at the juncture of the east and west branches of the Clarion River in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. Its prime location guaranteed that this vibrant community in Elk County would flourish. Surrounded by trees, Johnsonburg made a living from wood. Sawmills, tanneries, and a large paper mill have dominated the lives of the Italian immigrants and other groups that settled in town. River transportation gave way to railroads, and Johnsonburg became a hub of rail carriers moving freight and passengers. Its riverside location also had disadvantages, and the history of the community is measured in flood years. Johnsonburg was frequently flooded, but the people never gave in to hard times. Today Johnsonburg is still mostly surrounded by trees, and the forests have made the area a sporting paradise. Hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation are an important part of the modern economy.

Author Bio:

Dennis McGeehan, a college history professor and freelance photographer, is the author of Elk County, Ridgway, and St. Marys. He lectures widely on his extensive worldwide travels. A resident of Kersey when he is not on the road, he keeps busy photographing the Allegheny National Forest and the Pennsylvania Wilds.


This event is also scheduled during:

Johnsonburg Community Christmas
Community Christmas 4-8
Activities scheduled in the Johnsonburg Community Center include
artisans, soup sale, parade and Santa

Mother's Pendants and Such

Letter stamps and disc cutters are the necessary tools for this new item I have available for the Holidays and beyond. This piece is one I made out of brass for myself including my 3 lovely daughters with their birthstones. I also used a dapping punch and block, wood ones, to create the dome shapes.

Another version for a single child also using brass and more crystals one for the child and the other for the Mother, along with a freshwater pearl symbolizing hope. The bird stamp is so sweet and perfect for this type of work :)

beaded stone revisiting

a piece that was finished in 2005 water themed..laying on a scarf Larissa made for a client in Pittsburgh.
getting in the mode again to bead myself some rocks ;)

getting new promo material together

My work will now be in a new shop in Ridgway at 'The Shop on Main' owned by Ridgway native Heather Mader. I will carry an entirely new line or two of my jewelry and fiberart in this space.
Mader will be floor manager to an ecclectic mix of artists, antique dealers, food artisans and others. The grand opening I think is when the town has their "Flavors of Fall" to be held on Saturday, Oct. 17. http://www.ridgwaychamber.com/chamberweb/
Next week I will be moving in yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, funstuff :)

Abbi, Executive Director of ECCOTA in Ridgway, carried away many new designs and 'stuffs' out of the Flemish House today in Johnsonburg to put in the ECCOTA gallery in Ridgway on Main Street. Sooo...getting in the studio tomorrow to bend more wire! Stop by to see me in the morning to see what I am up to ;)

~enjoy

Some Autumn/Winter designs

Decided to forge fibula pins for the scarves and shawls coming into the gallery very soon!
These are very go with the flow type of design just need a body, spring, pin and hinge!


playing with different designs to see what I like...I really like the safety pin with the swirl,
I used 16 gauge for the that the others have 12 or 14 gauge.
These pins are used on loose knit material such as in scarves, shawls and sweaters. I am going to make 2 inch pins next, these are 3 and 4 inches.

the largest one :)


Here you can see the filed tip close up along with the clasp.
I file and polish each pin to take care of every little rough edge ;)


excerpt from http://www.wikipedia.com/

Fibulae were composed of four components: The body, pin, spring, and hinge.

Body
The body of a fibula is known as either the bow or the plate, depending on the basic form. A bow is generally long and narrow, and often arched. A plate is flat and wide. Plates could be solid or openwork. The body was often decorated. The head is the end of the fibula with the spring or hinge. The foot is the end of the fibula where the pin closes. Depending on the type of fibula, and the culture in question, the head of the fibula could be worn facing up, down or to the side.

Pin
The pin that is used to fasten the clothing, is either a continuation of the fibula’s body or a separate piece attached to the body. The fibula is closed by connecting the end of the pin to a catch plate, or pin rest.


Spring
The body and pin meet at either a spring or hinge. The earliest design is the spring which provides tension to the pin. The spring could be unilateral or bilateral. A unilateral spring winds around in one direction only. Unilateral springs are the earliest type, first appearing around the 14th century BC. Bilateral springs that wind around to both sides of the fibula body, appeared around the 6th century BC. Bilateral springs can be very short, with only one or two revolutions per side, or up to 10 cm long. Most bilateral springs are made of one piece of metal and therefore have a spring cord, a piece of wire extending from one end of the spring to the other. The spring cord can pass in front of or behind the fibulae body. Bilateral springs wrap around a pin or axle. These are usually made of iron even if the rest of the of the fibula and spring is copper alloy. In the 1st century AD some fibulae had springs that were concealed under a metal cover that was an extension of the fibula body. These are known as covered springs, or hidden springs.


Hinge
In the late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD a new design appeared in some bow type fibulae. A separate pin was attached to the head-end of the bow with a small hinge. In the second half of the 1st century AD, hinges were introduced to plate type fibulae. One or two small plaques were cast on the back of the plate and a pin was attached to them by a small hinge. Previously, plate type fibulae had bilateral springs attached to the back. In the 3rd century AD, the hinge was placed in the centre of a long transverse bar creating the famous Crossbow fibula design. A few fibulae from a much earlier date also had hinges, although this design feature was very rare and soon died out for nearly five centuries. For example, the Asia Minor Decorated Arc Fibula (Blinkenberg Type XII Variation 16) dating to the 5th century BC.

It is important to note that different types of fibula construction were used contemporaneously. Though the introduction of the hinge was later than the introduction of the spring, the spring remained in use long after the hinge was introduced. Therefore, a given fibula with hinge is not necessarily more recent than one with a spring.

Use
Fibulae were originally used to fasten clothing. They represent an improvement on the earlier straight pin which was less secure and could fall out. While the head of the earlier straight pin was often decorated, the bow or plate of the fibula provided a much increased scope for decoration. Among some cultures, different fibula designs had specific symbolic meanings. They could refer to a status or profession such as single woman, married woman, man, warrior, or chief. Some Roman-era fibulae may symbolize specific ranks or positions in the Roman legions or auxiliary. In some cultures, fibulae were worn in pairs and could be linked by a length of chain.

Peppermint Geranium Love

At one time I sold scented geraniums but, now I am at the mercy of what our area provides for I am not special ordering them.A good friend, who has an herb shop, did share some cuttings with me late Spring and they finally are rooting.I still need a rose geranium...any one out there want to be so kind.I have Mabel Grey(lemon), Fair Ellen(woodsy) and an Apple scented :)Many different variaties of Herbs also.